Vermont News: Anthony Smith Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison after a Jury Finds him Guilty of being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition

Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Anthony Smith, age 39, of Brooklyn, New York, was convicted after a four-day jury trial of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Judge Reiss sentenced Smith to two concurrent 45-month sentences following guilty verdicts on each of the two counts of the indictment and an additional 18 months for having violated the terms of his federal supervised release.

The evidence presented at trial revealed that in April 2016, Smith was asked to travel to Vermont to collect on a debt owed by a Vermont-based addict. Smith, who was on supervised release at the time in connection with a prior drug conspiracy conviction, traveled overnight with a mother and her young child to Vermont. When they arrived in the early hours of April 19, 2016, Smith directed the mother to drive him to the home of the debtor where he later confronted the man about repaying the debt. A neighbor noticed the suspicious vehicle in the driveway and reported it to the police. The debtor left his home seeking to collect money with which to pay Smith, during which time Smith waited at the On-The-Run convenience store in St. Albans. The Vermont State Police were on the lookout for the suspicious vehicle and promptly located it. Smith was questioned at the scene and a search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a Colt .22 caliber handgun together with twenty-four rounds of matching .22 caliber ammunition. The jury concluded that Smith possessed the gun and ammunition.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives as well as the Vermont State Police. The Vermont State Police were instrumental in the defendant’s arrest having located the vehicle Smith occupied, as well as the weapons.

U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan stated: “We are committed to protecting Vermont communities from gun violence. This case arose from not only strong police work, but through the efforts of a vigilant civilian neighbor who noticed the suspicious vehicle and alerted the police. Firearms in the hands of convicted felons are an inherent danger to public safety, and we urge our citizens to continue to be on the lookout for suspicious gun activity and to err on the side of reporting to law enforcement. We will continue to work collaboratively with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to prevent gun crime and bring to justice those who fail to comply with our gun laws.”

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Owen C.J. Foster and Wendy Fuller tried the case on behalf of the United States. Mark Kaplan represents Anthony Smith.